Time and Time Again
by NetsirkBlue
Summary: When it comes to birthdays this one is a mess: meeting future selves, fighting old enemies, battling new foes and generally wondering what's going on.
1. Something Strange

**Time and Time Again**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog.

**A/N: **It was actually "Sonic Generations" that made me want to explore the characters' younger personalities long before I dived into the older games. Now I think this left a lot be desired though(and some of the dialogue was really lame). There is so much they could have done with the concept of time travel and yet didn't. After all, how well can a person **really **take to seeing themselves from another time?

Let's say that is very _loosely_ based off of "Sonic Generations".

I did have a long mental debate about whether or not I wanted Sonic to be mute like in the game but finally decided against it. Though I do enjoy writing mute characters…

I might write for both Sonics and times so I will label them as such:

Classic Sonic: Sonic

Modern Sonic: SONIC

Don't expect to much from modern Sonic. It's gonna take be awhile to get use to him.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1: Something Strange<span>

Sonic

"Sonic! Sonic!"

It was a nice day- _no_ it was downright beautiful. The grass was soft and the sky was an amazing hue of blue that only his own quills could probably compare to. He'd found a comfortable pillow among nature and had no intention to leave it, at least until he heard his friend calling his name.

"Sonic!" He turned his head to glance at the twin tailed fox, rising a brow at the realization that he must have run all the way up the hill to reach him. Wouldn't it have been easier to fly? A grin found its way onto his face at the idea of it slipping Tails mind. "Sonic, this is serious!"

His smile abandoned him and he sat himself up on his rump. He couldn't even fathom what it might be that had Tails so freaked. After all they'd be through, there was little left to surprise them(or at least he thought so). It'd been awhile since Robotnik reared his ugly mug though so maybe it had something to do with him.

"What is it?"

Of all the things that Sonic was expecting, what came next was not it. A paper bag was thrust towards him with an exclamation of: "Happy Birthday!" Then he understood- that was why Tails hadn't flew, he'd been hiding this behind his back.

A new grin cracked Sonic's face, "you had me worried for a moment there bro." He took the gift and opened it up, mouth practically dripping with saliva at the scent of fresh chilidogs. He licked at his lips before noticing Tails amusement and his own smile widened. "You want one?"

"Oh, no…" Tails shook his head at this. "I got them for you."

Sonic gaze fell back to the bag as he seemed to debate things. "Well Tails, it's my gift to do as I please with." He plucked one of the spicy dogs out and held it towards Tails before taking a bit of his own. "Come on buddy. Normal kids share their cakes and this is **much** better… chow down."

In the end it was a bit reluctantly that Tails accepted his offer and the two of them sat down on the hill top together. Sonic got the feeling that the fox didn't like chilidogs as much as him but would eat it now if only so they could feel like normal children sharing birthday cheer. "Sonic… I'm sorry I couldn't throw you a big party. Like everyone else has."

He sucked the chili from his fingertips and shrugged his shoulders. "So what?" With that said he lay back in the grass, tucking his hands behind his head. "We aren't 'everyone else' and this is all I need. It would have been nice if Knuckles would have stopped by though…" He grumbled after a moment.

"You never told him when your birthday was."

Sonic cracked an eye open at this before laughing. "That's true. Guess I should have sent him an invitation."

There was silence after that but Sonic didn't mind. He didn't need an elaborate party, countless friends or numerous gifts- all he really needed was a few small things to make him happy and he had them all right here. It was a peace of mind that slowly allowed him to sink into comfortable slumber. At least before a large crack of thunder split the sky.

Alarm greeting him in the form of a small fox plowing down onto his gut. Sonic swallowed hard as his most recent meal threatened to come up. "Wh-what was that…?" Hearing Tails stutter he knew that the fox had his mind set on lightning but the skies were still clear. His panic seemed mostly ungrounded.

"I don't know Tails…" A suspicious edge crept into his own tone as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, despite the weight of Tails baring down on him. "Something's up…" That something became obvious to him as he looked out into the distance, lifting his hand to shield his eyes against the light of the sun.

It was there, clear as day. Sonic just wasn't sure what **it** was.

Perhaps if he had more understanding of the universe, he could compare it to a black hole. Though it didn't appear to be sucking everything in but rather just all the color- leaving the scenery closest to it void and white. Was this some freaky event of nature or something more ominous?

As far as Sonic was concerned, there was only one way to find out.

Chilidogs and birthday naps aside, it was time to get to the bottom of this and protect his home. He hopped to his feet and took Tails wrist though the fox seemed more absorbed by the sight than anything else. Maybe if he had been in a more sensible state of mind, he would have protested running straight towards the unknown.

He didn't give Tails time to say anything anyhow- plowing straight down the hill and leaping through the portal. It was only after this that he considered asking Tails what he thought they should do and by then it was already too late. Forces were literally working against them.

It was the strangest thing because despite Tails' namesakes not spinning they seemed to be flying at a truly rapid rate. Colors and indistinctive shapes flashed by in the blink of an eye. It was like the pull of ocean tides whipping towards the shore during a massive storm and they were along for the ride.

It must have been as they were approaching the rocky beach that the waves tried to rip them apart from one another. Sonic could feel the fox slipping from his grasp and tightened his grip in turn, teeth gritting at the strain. He could hear Tails' voice but it seemed far away and strangely… _different_.

But despite all this, whatever the explanation- they were calling his name- they were calling for help.

_Help! SONIC! _

* * *

><p><span>SONIC<span>

In just an instant things had fallen apart. He flung himself at the giant mass of a monster but it was all for naught. Despite all the confidence he had summed up and all the skill he possessed, he was still swatted aside like a mere insect.

His plans were dampened as his head collided with the ground(multiple times) and he skidded across the grass. _Everything_… he lost everything in a mere seconds. A single voice still had managed to penetrate his semi conscious mind though, the desperate call of his little brother as he was ripped away as well.

Sonic struggled against the darkness that clawed at his mind but couldn't even manage to lift himself a full inch off the ground. He wanted to tell Tails it'd be alright, that he'd save him and everyone else too but he didn't have the strength and rather just ended up falling flat once more.


	2. Who Is That?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog

**A/N: **Geeze… this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. The characters and the situation… it's a sloppy mix.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 2: Who Is That<span>

xxxxSonic

White.

That's all there was, seemingly stretching out indefinitely as the ground was lost to the sky.

It was sometimes said that when people die, there is a long tunnel and at the end there's a bright light. Perhaps it was reasonable for Sonic to believe they might have died because of this theory. They'd come here through a long tube that blurred understanding and now they were lost in a void. Seemed like they **must** be dead but if that was the case, why could he still feel his heart throbbing in his chest?

He still had the fox's wrist in his grip but there was a silence between them that unnerved Sonic. Something might have gone wrong despite him doing his best to keep his brother safe during that 'ride'. His gaze shifted sideways and came to rest upon Tails, who was staring intently out at the scenery. "Sonic… I think I see something…" He seriously had his doubts about that since there really wasn't much to see here but Sonic cast his sights outwards anyhow.

It was then he found his friend leading him forward at a reasonably rapid rate and wondered about the sudden rush. This whole place was making his spine crawl and he had his doubts about exploring when they didn't have the vaguest idea of what was going on. He may have leapt through that portal without thought but he was sort of starting to regret that action now. "There's someone else here."

What if he had somehow landed the two of them in a world of trouble? He didn't want anything bad to happen to his little bro or him either for that matter. It was his birthday for heavens sake, the two of them were suppose to be celebrating not diving nose first into a mess like this. "Why would anyone else be here?"

"Well… maybe they got here like us." Tails suggested with a grin, not the least bit deterred about checking this out. Must be the kid and inventor in him- this was just something new to figure out. "And if it's something bad… we can deal with it easy, right Sonic?"

Needless to say that what was awaiting them hadn't been expected by either of them.

"Sonic…" He suddenly felt as though a vice was squeezing at his chest as his brother said his name. "I… thought you were the only blue hedgehog…" All the hesitation that lined Tails tone was currently gnawing at Sonic's mind. His grip slacked and fell away as his gaze came fixated on the form in front of them.

The quills were darker and longer than his own but undeniably blue.

Sonic was baffled, confusion stabbing into his mind like a hot knife and as such he squirmed uncomfortably upon his feet. If Tails noticed he said nothing about it and simply just walked around to the other side of the downed form. "Are… are they dead?" It was about that point that the figure began to stir. Just as Sonic was about to sum up the guts to prod them with his foot and find an answer for that question.

xxxxSONIC

A groan lifted from low in his throat as consciousness slowly came crawling back, along with the pain. It was a nauseating ache that blurred his vision when he tried to take in the surroundings and convinced him to squeeze his eyes shut almost quickly as he opened them. Some part of him just wanted to just lay here until sleep consumed him once more but reality wasn't on its side, since the memory of those last few minutes of awareness was still on his mind.

From what he'd seen the others were in trouble and so he **had** to get himself up. Pushing his arms beneath himself, he slowly heaved himself upright with a hard shake of his head. That's when things got weird and he had to wonder if he slammed his noggin harder than he first believed. Last he checked his brother was much taller than this but right now they were at level with each other, despite Sonic still being in a low crouch.

On top of that 'Tails' seemed to have a truly bewildered look on his face. It was as if the fox couldn't believe what he was seeing and that may have very well gone both ways. Most of his past was sort of slurred from the rapid rate of his life but this was(in a way) familiar. "I feel the same way bro."

He didn't have time to dabble in the affairs of insanity and decided to go on his way.

He hardly did more than turn around before a voice convinced him to glance back. "_Wha_… what are you talking about?" At that moment someone had the fox by the hand, narrowing eyes in suspicion. Sonic was vaguely insulted, or at least he would have been if it wasn't his younger self that was glaring back at him.

Oh man, he just knew he must have scrambled his brains.

"Forget it." Sonic smiled at the pair and knew he should get out of here before things got any stranger and so turned and bolted without another word. Why would he imagine seeing himself? Tails was understandable since he was worried about him right now, but his younger self… that was unexpected.

xxxxTails

That stranger had called him 'bro' in that same certain manner that Sonic always did.

The two of them had the same eyes too- clear green orbs. They'd been softer though.

Did this mean his friend had an older brother that already knew about the two of them? It was so hard to believe but he didn't know what else to think. There was no way time travel would have ever willingly crossed his young mind. It was too outlandish, even after everything the two of them had gone through in their short lives. "He looked a lot like you Sonic."

If his friend knew something about it, would he say? Sonic's brows were currently scrunched together and his ears dipped back so it was obvious that there was something serious on his mind. That didn't mean Tails was prepared for the moment he suddenly ran off though.

Instantly he started spinning his tails in an attempt to keep up but the hedgehog's current pace was nothing to laugh about. It seemed as if he was pushing his limits to catch up with the stranger that was so far ahead of them already. Tails was falling behind and the sudden boom that cracked the sky confirmed that he had no chance of ever making up lost ground.

It was then that he promptly collapsed upon the crest of a tall hill. Gradually his breath returned to him as he sucked a generous amount of air down into his lungs. From here he could behold a very strange sight. Streaks of color were bursting outward from each of the blue specks far ahead of him. Licking out at the grass and the blue cape of sky like the long strokes of a paintbrush. And any splotches of white left by the first hedgehog were filled by the second as he ran in his wake.

Tails scratched behind his ear as he pondered the strange occurrence.

It wasn't really the scenery that bothered him. He had just thought there was no one faster than Sonic...


	3. Meeting Myself

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog.

**A/N: **I rather like this chapter. Or at least the last two bits.

Also... the modern Sonic levels in the game are far more enjoyable than the classic ones -_-

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3: Meeting Myself<span>

xxxxSONIC

It was different than his recent memories in many aspects but at the same time the rolling green hills and the endless blue sky never changed. This was the same as the days way back when, at the time he had met his little brother. A lot about it was still clear and crisp in his mind regardless of how many years had passed. It was with this recollection that the scenery came back to life.

Every blade of grass and palm tree, the cool spray from the rush of pounding waterfalls and the bridges that creaked beneath his feet. For just a second he felt as if he was living in that moment once more, at least until he glanced to his side and found himself all alone.

He knew he shouldn't be surprised. It'd been such a long time since him and Tails cruised through this world as a pair. It turned out that the fox didn't have the same love for running as he did and would rather linger in his workshop tinkering with new inventions.

Sonic barreled over the edge of a cliff with little regard at this point- even knowing there was no one here to catch him should the landing turn out to be an unfortunate one. Sharp rocks awaited him below along with churning water but he simply flipped over so he hit the slick surface feet first and slid down along the edge of the stone.

There was really no danger here, despite his inability to swim he could easily flip himself through the air to avoid all threats to his person. That didn't seem to work the same for the person trailing after him though as they had less experience. He hadn't seen the blue ball hit the water but had heard the splash.

For just a second he simply stood there, staring at the churning water before he felt a chill go down his back. A suffocating sensation overcame him that he knew had nothing to do with his current state but was causing him intense discomfort all the same. He sucked down a breath between his teeth as he noticed the small form being pushed about by the current.

In some ways it was like watching himself struggle. Hands scrambling for purchase on each rock that he was slammed into but finding no relief. He hurried to the aid of the smaller hedgehog but failed to make contact as he was sucked beneath the surface once more.

Sonic scanned the water desperately for any sign of what seemed like little more than a memory and fortunately he put himself in the position to do something this time around. When the white glove broke the surface he was there to grab it. "I got you." His free hand gripped at the edge of the rock so they wouldn't both be pulled in and he began to drag the hedgehog out of the water.

For what it was worth this mobian didn't seem too grateful as he appeared far more interested in coughing the water from his lungs than thanking his savior. Uneasy about standing on slick stone with a gagging child in his grasp, Sonic began to make his way towards shore. This only seemed to frustrate the small hedgehog though as he began to kick and squirm as soon as he caught his breath. "Watch the spikes kid." Sonic wasn't all that annoyed by the strikes but those small feet could surprisingly land quite a blow and he would prefer not to be riddled by bruises by the time this was over.

"Let me down!" Not really the response he was expecting but better than silence at least. Sonic gave his shoulders a slight shrug and then set the hedgehog down on his feet as had been demanded of him. At that point, he watched the kid spring several feet away and proceed to stare at him with a look of shock.

There was very little to prepare Sonic for an attack but that didn't mean he couldn't handle it. Ducking under the small 'buzzsaw' before catching the kid by the ankle and(in the process) saving him from another unfortunate dive into the water. And what did he get for his efforts? A kick to the nose.

"Robotnik made you didn't he?" He really didn't remember being this feisty as a child. Or violent but then it might have something to with the fact that he was holding him upside down. That was a decent reason to be angry. "Your one of those robots aren't you? Like Metal."

Sonic was starting to doubt that he was just imagining all this. After facing genies, talking swords and helping aliens… it shouldn't be hard to believe that this might really be his past in the flesh. "Geeze, don't bring up Metal. That guy's nothing but a thorn in my side."

Eyes went blank with confusion.

Before anything could come from it though something plowed into Sonic knocking him backwards several paces and causing him to release his younger self with a pang of pain as the kid slammed head first into the ground. "Ah." He rubbed at his own skull as the two tailed fox hovered in front of him with an angry look that only seemed silly on a toddler.

"Stay away from my brother you big meanie!"

In a way that hurt but Sonic knew this was only a matter of misunderstanding and so shrugged his shoulders and turned to dart off once more. He had to find his own brother after all and those two should be able to handle things on their own, just like him and Tails use to.

* * *

><p>xxxxSonic<p>

"That big jerk." Sonic knew the fox was still on about the stranger but he wasn't in the right state of mind to respond.

For a moment sparks flickered to life in front of his eyes as his head collided with the ground and it took him a second or two before he rolled himself back over to his feet. This didn't do much to help his situation though as he felt rather woozy and found himself swaying slightly. "I don't know… he pulled me out of the water Tails." He had to sit back down and so flopped onto his bottom once more. "He didn't have to do that."

"Yeah he did! You would have drown if he didn't." Tails was missing the point.

"I mean to say if he was such a jerk… he wouldn't have bothered." It was obvious that he hadn't expected much in return except maybe to not have been kicked in the face. Sonic had to admit that was a bit unfair on his part- he'd jumped the bullet before even giving him a chance, "He acted like he knew Metal, he knows your name and he's fast like me…."

Tails stuck up his nose a bit at this, looking sort of hurt. "What are you trying to say? You found your real brother so you are going to leave me now?" He was just talking crazy.

"_Tails_, I already told you… I'm not going to abandon you. We're family." He thought they got past this topic a long time ago but Sonic supposed the idea of blood relatives might have stirred things up anew. "I don't think he's my brother anyhow. It's just strange that he looks so much like me. He even has the same shoes."

"What's so special about that?"

It was then that Sonic realized he had never explained this to the fox. He sucked down a breath between his teeth as he wished he hadn't mentioned it at all. "An old friend of mine made them especially for me… to withstand the high friction of running at sonic speeds. I don't think there is another pair like them in existence."

Tails ears folded as he looked down at Sonic's feet. "You sure they are the same?"

"Same white stripe, same gold buckles…" What else did Sonic need to say? The shoes clearly hadn't torn apart despite all the running they did to get to this point. That had to mean they were the same. "So Tails I was just thinking… what if that was me?"

The fox shook his head feverishly. "No, no, no. It couldn't have been Sonic. He was too tall and the blue was all wrong." Despite all Tails denial, Sonic could see realization dawning in his eyes. "How could that be you… when your right here?"

That was a good question.

"We better catch up and find out." He hopped to his feet, grabbing Tails' wrist as he started forward at a run.

"How are we going to catch him when he's so much faster than you?" That was quite the stab to Sonic's pride but he knew it was true. However… this other hedgehog seemed to enjoy taking the scenic route so they'd just have to take the shorter one.

"He's not that much faster than me…" Sonic grumbled anyhow causing laughter to bubble out of his little bro. "What's so funny? I'm serious, you'll see… I can catch him easy." There was no way he was going to lose to some older copy.

* * *

><p>xxxxTAILS<p>

The first thing to meet his returning consciousness was the vibrant blue color of a certain hedgehog. Tails couldn't help that this was what he noticed before anything else since his brother was standing directly over him with a growing grin. "Ah…" He could feel a bit of a headache forming in the back of his mind and reached a hand up to touch the space between his eyes. "Sonic…" For a second he squeezed them shut, struggling to make some sense of their current situation. "What happened?"

"A giant monster crashed the party." Tails could hear the amusement in his friends voice though he failed to find anything entertaining about this fact. Such unbelievable cold clenching at his very essence and ripping him away… that was a very unpleasant memory. "By the way Tails… I met a younger you here. He nearly plowed me over."

Tails sat himself up and stared at Sonic openly. "How many times did you hit your head?"

The hedgehog's smile faltered slightly, "Well that's not a very nice thing to ask."

"How many times?" He wasn't deterred by Sonic's words and instead repeated the question was a sterner tone.

"I don't know… four… or five…" Sonic shrugged his shoulders carelessly and Tails felt the need to groan at his lack of concern. One of these days the hedgehog would bust something in his brain with the way he was taking blows to the noggin. "I wasn't imagining this though Tails. I've taken harder hits and have still been able to think straight. You know that."

"Define _straight_?" It could be argued that Sonic was never in his right mind.

"_Tails_." And now he was starting to sound exasperated, clearly that was enough joking around.

"Alright, alright. I believe you. It just doesn't make any sense."

Sonic clearly wasn't going to give him time to think about that as he soon gave him something else to consider. "Look at where we are Tails." It was nothing special but rather the same place they had been before all this happened but… _different_. There was an itch at his memory at the sight but it was so distant he couldn't make much sense of it.

"You think we went back in time?"

"I think that's right down our alley, wouldn't you say?" That was true, they'd been through some really weird stuff.

"So what do you think we should do?" Even after all this time, Sonic was still the one that made most of the plans. He always seemed so sure of what needed to be done in any case and Tails didn't want to test his luck just to fail.

"Rescue the others, then find this monster and beat it down." Sonic replied pounding the fist of one hand into the palm of the other before starting forward at an easy pace. "And after that, we finish celebrating my birthday."

Tails grinned broadly, "just like that?"

"Yep." He saw the hedgehog glance back briefly over his shoulder and knew it true. "Just like that."


	4. The Need To Prove

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog.

**A/N: **It feels a little choppy.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4: The Need To Prove<span>

XxxxSonic

Even now he could still feel the heat blistering at his back as the huge beam bit to close to his heels. The rain falling slick against his quills in strong contrast to the energy tailing him. Lightning streaked the sky and rattling booms of thunder shook the rickety platforms beneath his feet. Back then it hadn't seemed as though he could run fast enough and it was still the same. The weather had calmed to the smooth cloak of night and Robotnik was absent from the scene but the danger… it was still there.

He'd lost his brother- lost him to his metal counterpart and this was much like what had happened on Little Planet when the mech claimed the pink hedgehog instead. Only this time Sonic wasn't so willing to let his foe out of sight, not with the little fox wailing and thrashing. He tore down the collapsing pathway, feet clumping like a charging rhino's hooves as he closed in on the pair. He flung himself high and came down fast, soles colliding with the robot's skull with such a force that Metal slammed forward into the ground.

Fortunately the impact had forced him to release Tails.

With a quick glance backwards Sonic checked to make sure his brother was alright before giving the downed bot a hard enough kick to send him flying over the side of the platform. "You stay away from my family Metal!" He snarled before continuing along at an easy trot. There seemed to be something of interest ahead- a portal.

Only he failed to reach in as something came barreling into his side- sending him bounding to the edge of the platform. His fingers gripped at the grating in the steel to keep him from sliding off as he slammed his feet upwards into his attacker. Apparently Metal hadn't had enough so he went at him again. Exchanging blows as they raced towards the portal.

Sharp fingers grazed his spikes and electricity drew close several times as he was forced to spring away to spare himself the pain. It took him a long time to get the upper hand and by the time he delivered the final blow and sent Metal soaring away into the night- he felt winded. Before he could even take a moment to catch his breath though something hard bumped him in the head. He grunted, eyes darting to the side in time to see his brother going for the object. "Look Sonic."

A chaos emerald? He had thought they left those all with Knuckles.

"That's… great Tails." This whole ordeal was a mess, he really had no idea what was going on because even what had just happened made no sense. Metal had been destroyed- crushed, he saw it and _yet_ he had been here, whole again.

* * *

><p>XxxAMY<p>

"I never want to go there again." There was a nod of agreement and the soft clumps of steel transformed into silence as their feet connected with the white. Several paces were put between them and Chemical Plant before anyone spoke up again. "So what now?"

It was a question that had already been posed before she arrived and now Sonic was answering it again. The fox seemed to expect a little more though… maybe a step by step plan but they both knew he was asking the wrong person. There was an easy edge to Sonic's response since it was dosed up with confidence but she couldn't help but notice the was he was rubbing the space behind his right ear. Was it bothering him for some reason?

"Stay here Amy. We'll be right back." All she knew was that she getting left behind once more and as such she turned her back to the two with a small huff, missing the glances they exchanged at her reaction. Sonic made a soft sound like he wanted to say something but soon enough she could hear the two retreating into the distance.

It felt as if she had been alone for awhile but eventually she noticed two mobians coming down from the platforms above her. From the looks of it Sonic and Tails were making their return. Neither one seemed to pay her much mind though and that irritated her. Not only did they have the nerve to blow her off but now they were giving her the cold shoulder.

"Hey!" The moment she called out there was a yelp as Tails latched onto his brother and the hedgehog's arms shot up in response. For whatever reason they seemed surprised by her presence but it wasn't until she moved closer that she realized why. "What-" Her words fell short as she noticed how young they looked. "What happened?"

"We got in a fight with Metal." Tails peeped up though she really wasn't sure how that explained their ages. She stepped closer, ignoring the cold glare Sonic was giving her. It seemed out of place and as such she looked past it- drawn to the red of blood. Three short gashes, as if someone took to raking something sharp across and she was pretty sure she knew who. The strange part was that the injury was in the exact spot he had been rubbing earlier. When he was still the proper age.

She reached out for him but he jerked back before she could make contact, looking miffed at her attempt to touch him. He pushed Tails off himself and continued to stare her down in a silent manner that left her feeling slightly uncomfortable. "Sonic, I just want to help… your hurt." His continued refusal made her believe he wasn't too concerned. It was just a small thing an she was probably more worried about it then she needed to be. In fact, her alarm over the cuts seemed to be transferring to the young fox who probably hadn't given it much thought before.

Now he was shifting uncomfortably, glancing at Sonic repeatedly as though afraid he might fall over but this worked for her because now he was trying to convince him. "Just let her help you…" He was uttering softly as he glanced her way. "She looks nice." That wasn't something she heard in relation to herself for quite sometime. Usually she got a stuttering mess in reaction to her presence and people backing away as she summoned her mallet.

Oh well, it wasn't like she wanted to hurt either of the kids. Right now she truly was looking to help. Sonic didn't seem convinced despite her smile though. "The name's Amy Rose…" That seemed to trigger a reaction as he let out a small hiss of air. To be fair she had known Sonic for a long time so maybe the name did ring a bell even if she had been going by a different title in the beginning. Lots of people had known her as the Rosy Rascal but she had thought she told him different after their escape from Metal.

"Guess you must be the older version then." He finally commented in a low voice that she might have missed if not for the silence around them. She knew she should have been more patient but she really wanted to make sure he was alright.

"Like the other Sonic?" She didn't give him time to answer his brother as she tackled him in a rather rough fashion. Tails jerked in alarm and she could feel him pulling at her arm but a mere toddler didn't possess the strength to compete with her. Not that Sonic wasn't giving her trouble though with the single kick he landed before mellowing out. He probably didn't want to hurt her anymore then she wanted to hurt him. His jaw clenching and his eyes turning steely with displeasure.

She tilted his head slightly and touched the injury. It didn't look too bad but they should probably clean it out if it was Metal that had done it. She really didn't trust that his fingers would have been clean when it came to attacking. Then again, she didn't expect Sonic would sit still long enough for her to go find a first aid kit in this place. Finally she withdrew deciding even back then he could handle himself. She brushed herself down as he rolled over to his feet. His voice was the sharp edge of a blade: "you happy now?"

"No." She dropped her gaze to her feet. She forgot how rude he use to act the majority of the time. His attitude had been a pretty bad one but not that she blamed him… he had a lot to deal with back then. Taking care of a toddler and saving the world on a regular basis probably did take its toll. He had still been nice about the whole ordeal with Metal though. That had left her pretty shaken up and he had walked all the way back to the orphanage with her despite clearly having better places to be.

He had always been nice when the situation called for it but not as openly as he was these days. It was odd to see how much he had changed now that for some reason his past and present were meeting. She had half the mind to chase him, just to refresh her memory but in the end she decided it might be best not to mingle too much with the past. Beside there was nothing wrong with the Sonic she knew now- aside from not knowing where he was at this moment but she was sure he'd be back like he said he would.

He always kept his word. So for now… she would wait.

* * *

><p>XxxSonic<p>

His memory might be growing a bit fuzzy but he thought sky sanctuary had been destroyed. Once more he found himself running over pathways that crumbled away as he sped higher above the clouds and colorful birds were sent scattering upward as he drew too close for their liking. The world was full of luscious plant life and smooth white stone. He drew down a deep breath as he found only the gentle blue ahead of them. There was a moment of silence before Tails took him by the hands and began to carry him across.

"It looks like the older you has already been here."

Sonic drew up his legs as the fox began to dip subconsciously lower as his strength waned. Fortunately they had almost reached the other side by now. "What makes you think that?"

He was dumped out onto the stone as Tails took a tripping landing. "Most of the color already returned." The fox pointed out as he straightened and Sonic nodded in agreement. This place had already been touched by someone else's memories. He started off again, keeping to a pace that his brother could follow. "You think we will find Knuckles here?"

Sonic shrugged, "maybe his future self?" It looked as though no one else from there time was here and that was probably because they were the only ones to go through a portal. Perhaps it was better that way- he would hate to know the people he'd come to care about in life had been trapped in this void place. That all they could do was wait to be saved. Wait for **him** to save them.

Like almost all the other places they had been the world began to fade back into white but unlike before they had a choice. A great swirling passage of purple energy sat waiting for those brave enough to push through to the other side. It wouldn't deter Sonic who didn't even need to think before leaping though once he did he realized his brother hadn't come along for the ride. No matter… he didn't seem to be alone here.

There were footsteps falling at a matching pace and he could make out the slightly blurred form of the taller hedgehog as they sped down the hall. It was something he seemed to notice as well and he drew to a stop as he did. Even now he had a hard time picturing this as him in a couple years and mimicking him didn't really change that fact though he found it odd that was so easy to do as if some part of their minds was in sync.

"Take a good look at yourself Sonic." This should have been expected. If there was trouble it seemed that Robotnik was the one he could always find behind it. Maybe he wasn't really sure how he would pull off something like this off but there was no reason to say it wasn't possible. The man kept talking but he was already moving- quicker then his older counterpart it seemed. To be honest he hadn't looked back to check.

He was so set on going at his foe that it wasn't until he'd gone through the doors that he realized he had done so alone. From the looks of it he was going to have to kick Robotnik's butt- literally. This was a mech he had fought before and for some unexplained reason was made in its creator's image.

XxxSONIC

There was simply no way he had lost his mind. That was him- in the younger flesh. Now if only he could get someone else to see that so it could be confirmed among them. Why was it that no one else was ever around when stuff like this happened?

He tapped his fingers against the side of his skull, staring at the shut door. It made sense to think that his counterpart would have to come out of there once whatever he was going through came to end. He'd just wait until then.

It was something that proved to be easier in theory.

He began to bounce one foot against the floor repeatedly with impatience. He really couldn't help the fact that he had other places to be and should really be searching for his remaining friends. It may have only been a handful of minutes he was standing there but it felt like a century to him. Finally the doors flung open though and the small hedgehog jumped through. For some reason he appeared to be rather baffled, scratching at the place behind one ear as he stared down at his feet.

It might be said that he went at his younger self too quickly even if it was at a walking pace because it startled the kid into a defensive stance. Sonic rose a brow at him: "you know something I don't?" He asked at his obvious unease, simply wondering if there was some sort danger he was overlooking.

"It wasn't Robotnik…" Came the distracted reply and the kid turned to run off but Sonic managed to hook one arm around him, pulling him back despite the prickle of sharpened quills. It seemed he was even more of a hurry then him by the way he was currently thrashing for freedom. "Let me go! I gotta go talk to my brother!"

"I'll go with you."

"I don't need you to go with me!" It was just a simple offer, there was really no reason for him to get so testy. "I can handle this by myself!, the way I am right now." There really was nicer ways to refuse assistance but it seemed his younger self was above that. Not that he could really be deterred by it though. He kept a hold of the hedgehog and headed back to where he assumed he would find the others.

The kid was insistent though: "I don't need your help!"

It was any wonder when that view would change.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog

A/N: I've sort of lost interest in this story(which is why this chapter is so short) and am thinking about writing something else. It's simply too hard to write with two Sonics and two Tails. It's so confusing for my poor little brain.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

SONIC

Eventually the kicking stopped and it was any wonder if the kid had exhausted himself with all the thrashing or if he simply decided it was no longer worth the effort. It wasn't like he had any chance of breaking free right now and they both knew it. "Hey." Silence began to stretch and proved to be rather unnerving after several minutes, Sonic had to break it. One would think he'd be happy that the little hedgehog had stopped giving him an earful but on the contrary he was actually rather concerned as to why he finally gave it up. "You alright?"

It might have been a stupid question to ask when his younger self had been in two 'boss' battles without any rest in between. He really couldn't be expected to know that though. So when he didn't get a response he bounced the kid under his arm. That certainly got a reaction, a great huff and more kicking. Sonic rose a brow at all this, "you were falling asleep, weren't you?" While he tried to be serious about it amusement had still found its way into his voice. "Look, I'm going to put you down. As long as you give me your word you won't run off."

The kid grumbled something low in response and though he couldn't make out the words he was pretty certain it was something rude. "What was that?" Who would have thought it'd be so difficult to deal with himself. He hardly remembered having acted like this.

"Fine! I said fine!" He was grinding his teeth and making it obvious that he was unhappy with having to agree to this but since he had Sonic still set him on his feet. There was a moment that he looked ready to bolt but his ears eventually flattened against his skull as he stayed put instead. Before Sonic could say anything else to him his younger self glanced off to the side was a small huff, arms crossing over his chest.

With a chuckle Sonic abandoned any further conversation which was fine because they were approaching the small group of mobians, the three of which were discussing their situation with various tones and inputs. "Looks like there is more to this than just visiting places of the past." He gestured down to the smaller hedgehog who was looking utterly miffed.

"I really got to find my brother."

"I told you, we'll find him together." Talk about impatience though he knew he shouldn't be surprised.

"Yeah? And so far all we found is your brother." The kid said, thrusting his hand towards the fox who happened to be staring openly at the two of them as if his whole understanding of the world had just gone topsy-turvy. "Mine might be in trouble. If Robotnik isn't behind this than the real enemy might have gone at him."

"And how do you figure Eggman isn't behind this?" Knuckles cut in.

"You saw that monster Knuckles, doesn't look like one of Eggman's schemes."

"Yeah." Amy added idly, "but didn't he try and use dark gaia so why not some other beast?" While Sonic would like to think the man had enough brains not to pull a ploy like that again, he did have a habit of making the same mistake over and over again. It might be him after all, if not for his younger self saying otherwise.

He glanced down at the small hedgehog who was looking rather bewildered, his voice soft with confusion. "Eggman?" The moment the kid realized that eyes were upon him he snorted. "Robotnik got sucked up by some… monster after I beat him."

If Eggman wasn't behind this than Sonic really had no idea what to expect. He was use to the man being the only real complication in his life- everything else was few and far between. It sounded as if he was the victim here though which threw things out of loop and meant they would eventually have to save him. That was always a bit awkward on both sides but somehow expected. Sonic bet his younger self made some effort to save their foe when he got sucked up, even if it was a rather vain one. He was pretty sure that back than he thought Robotnik deserved everything he got.

Sonic

Why had he agreed to this? That was a question worth pondering for at least a second of this wasted time. He had just wanted to stand on his own and this had seemed to be the only way to get that. Now he had to listen to this group blabber on about things he believed there should be no debate about. He was certain of what he had seen and if not for Robotnik being a snack for that vortex beast than what? Why were they even discussing this?

"Can I go now?" His voice was dry and not the least bit polite on the grounds that he didn't really feel that he needed permission. This was grinding at his nerves but not quite as much as the older Tails staring at him. Now he was starting to feel like a freak. A small huff slipped out of him as the fox moved closer to him and while he was pretty sure he was the older one here, he was still shorter. "Yea? Can I help you?"

"You're really Sonic right? You're really here?" The fox didn't even wait for an answer before grabbing one of his ears and giving it a tug that caused his head to jerk sideways as a yelp of surprise escaped him. He really didn't understand what this was suppose to prove so while he tolerated it (as he had Amy tackling him) he wasn't happy with the treatment. "Wow. This is great. I never thought timelines could cross like this."

He didn't get why he was so excited, they were in a mess here.

"Right. It's really great, can I go now um…" His thoughts lapsed momentarily as he tried to figure out how to address himself. "Older me? I really need to find my-"

"SONIC!" Oh, never mind because at that very moment his brother was approaching. So much for escaping this meeting with purpose. Now they'd probably never let him go willingly. "I was waiting for you but you never came. What happened?"

"I got dragged here by my future self."

The two foxes noticed each other right then and simultaneously said: "hey". His brother rushed to meet his older self and discuss thing he would probably never personally understand. So much for having a conversation with him right now. With a roll of his eyes Sonic started off only for the other hedgehog to cut across his path and start walking backwards in front of him.

"How about you and me work together?" He was thinking about kicking him right now but to be fair his current exhaustion was messing with his head. Like a little kid that was denied a nap- he was feeling rather cranky and he just wanted to be left alone. "We'll be able to save to others faster."

"Others?" He glanced backwards at the group and didn't understand- everyone he knew was already their. "What others?" His tone lost some of his edge as curiosity took its place.

"Our other friends." His older version explained as they approached what appeared to be a tunnel. If he looked closely he swore he could see the lines on the road beneath their feet. What was this? His gaze lifted to what he assumed was the sky line among all the white. Looked like it might be buildings. "Come on." All the sudden the taller hedgehog was taking off and he struggled to pick up speed as quickly as the other had.

It was no use, his legs felt like rubber and he soon fell behind. That was when something odd happened- his older self came back for him despite already being miles ahead. "Come on kid." Not only that he kneeled down in front of him expectantly and when Sonic didn't move the hedgehog continued on. "At this rate your going to fall over. Do us both a favor and climb on."

His ears folded slightly with disbelief. Usually he would be insulted but it was true that at this rate he would probably be tripping all over himself. Still, it took him a moment to suck up his pride and clamber on. At least there was no one around to see him accepting a piggyback ride.

He tightened his arms around the other hedgehog's neck and huffed softly to himself. "Gonna be hard to destroy robots like this."

"I'll just go around them." It seemed so easy when he said it like that.

"What about the animals inside?"

"Eggman stopped using them as a power source a couple years back." They'd started forward, defying gravity as speed increased and feet breezed across the side of a building- shattering window panes. It was a result that both of them ignored as they worked on forming an understanding between their two lives. "Now he mainly uses chaos drives."

Sonic decided not to ask about that and instead focused on a different little fact. "Why do you keep calling Robotnik Eggman?" That was a stupid, if not childish name to call someone.

"That's the only thing he listens to anymore." The older hedgehog said with a bit of a dry edge before grinning. "But he does look a bit like an egg doesn't he?"

While that was true it was still- "dumb, that's like calling us Spikehog. Or Tails, well…" Oh wait, now that he thought about it a lot of them were named after physical traits. He could hear his counterpart chuckling behind his teeth and kicked his foot into his back.

"Ow." That certainly stopped his laughter. "Did you have to do that?" Sonic was glad he had struck when he did because a moment later his ride was springing across the tops of flashing bots. "I didn't name him that anyhow, if that's what your thinking. He vanished for a year and when he showed back up he told me: 'I'm the Eggman'. Where ever he went he must have left some of his sanity there." He could believe that if not for the fact that he already felt he was off his rocker.


	6. Run Together

**Disclaimer:** Yeah I don't own.

**A/N:** I should read over this but eh... I'm surprised I even convinced myself to write it. I'll fix my mistakes later.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6: Run Together<span>

SONIC

He had thought it would never happen but his counterpart eventually fell asleep despite the constant motion of movement. This was only a few minutes before they came across a different child. The small rabbit rose slowly from her daze and Sonic stood by with a certain level of patience, leaning forward slightly to keep the smaller hedgehog from sliding off his back.

While Cream's eyes found him they didn't stay long, dropping to the chao cradled in her arms before she spoke up. "Mister Sonic." The small creature cooed and fluttered upwards in a joyful manner, putting its owner in better sorts. Obvious by the smile and the fact that her attention returned to Sonic, "I didn't know you had two little brothers."

Such a thought had never crossed his mind though he knew they bore a resemblance since they **were** the same person. "I don't. This is my younger self. He's visiting from the past." Cream made a small sound like 'oh' and that was all there was to it. What else could a person say to a comment like that? "You should go join the others." He added after a moment, nodding his head towards the distance specks of color. "It's probably going to be awhile before we can head back."

Once the rabbit had gone with a wave of farewell, Sonic continued on. The next place was just as familiar as all the others and he had to wonder how he kept getting thrust into these loosely constructed memories. The moment he stepped over the thresh hold he found himself tearing down a large hill on a metal board. With the extra weight it was more than a little complicated. His balance was off but his speed increased.

He wrapped one arm backwards around the smaller mobian as he tilted his body, narrowly missing a car that had just pulled around the corner with a shrilling honk of its horn. He chuckled nervously. "I wonder if its possible to die twice."

"Wha…" Seemed the noise had brought his counterpart back to awareness. Even if it was a sluggishly so. For a moment Sonic worried the kid was going to fall but in the end the action seemed to be on purpose. He felt feet pushing against his back as his younger self launched himself off. It was an action that nearly made him trip from his board but the next second he could hear the soles of shoes plodding after. He risked a glance backwards in time to see his counterpart closing in on him with a grin that could only mean that a race was in order.

There was no clear winner though there was a lot of people that stopped on the sidewalk to gawk and cars implying brakes in alarm. In the end Sonic kicked the board out from under him- sending it crashing into a nearby bush as he flipped over a picket fence. "Hungry kid?"

His counterpart had landed on top of one of the post, arms crossed over his chest with a scowl. "Aren't we suppose to be saving the rest of your friends?" What a downer, especially since he had just been so willing to race him and that was a distraction from their goal.

"Well I'm hungry." He started forward and knew the younger hedgehog followed because a moment later he could fell him yanking at his arm and he brushed him aside. "Chill, nothing bad is going to happen in the few seconds it takes us to eat." The bell to a small diner chimed faintly as he pushed the door open. It was sort of strange… he wondered if the people around here realized that they were misplaced or if they were just a part of the memory too and therefore unaware. Time travel was pretty confusing to him.

Walking up to the counter he order them two sandwiches each. To be fair he didn't have to ask himself what he wanted- that's be weird. Taking the plates he turned to tell the smaller mobian to find them a seat only to find he'd already parked his rear on the edge of the table top. "People eat off of that." Rising a brow at this the kid simply rubbed his butt against it in response. Sonic sighed, reaching past him and putting the plates on the table. With this done he made a sudden scoop at the hedgehog but only ended up squeezing his arm to his own stomach as the kid shot straight up, kicking off the back of his head so his nose slammed forward against the wood.

"They don't eat off the **table**, they eat off dishes." Even if that was the case Sonic hardly felt he deserved that sort of abuse over that matter. He rubbed at his snout and slid into the booth, leaving the kid looking baffled. "You're not going to come at me for doing that?"

"Uh…" Sonic picked up one of the sandwiches. "No. I will eat your meal if you don't get over here though." He announced in an easy manner as he took a few bites that devoured the first portion of his lunch, at this rate it would be only a few seconds before he started on the kid's but his younger self suddenly sprung into the seat across from him.

"You wouldn't." The small hedgehog said surely.

"I don't know, I'm pretty hungry. A few more sandwiches might really hit the spot." When he reached across to the kid's plate it was to earn a kick to the fingers as his counterpart flipped backwards to land low in the seat with his sandwiches- where Sonic couldn't reach. Not that it matter because he had devoured them so quick at that point that there was probably no one fast enough to interfere.

Sonic leaned back in his seat with a shake of his head and couldn't help but notice that the kid was staring up at something behind him but he wasn't too concerned because his counterpart didn't look to worried. "Hey, what'd you do to tick off GUN?"

"Nothing. They had me mistaken for someone else." Sonic decided to rest his eyes for a moment since he figured the kid must be watching the news on the tv in the corner and personally he'd been going nonstop since he came to from getting knocked out earlier. There'd be no harm in taking a break for a few seconds.

"Another blue hedgehog?"

"Nope… I'm pretty sure we are the only one."

"Are you falling asleep?"

He gave his head a shake and sat up straighter, rubbing at his eyes. "No." Sliding sideways out of the booth he looked at their empty plates and then stretched, turning for the door. "Let's get going."

They didn't get very far before some GUN bots showed up and Sonic plowed through them before the kid could move. Noticing the awed way he was looking at him he released a small snicker. "Homing attack. Took a lot of practice." He explained before speeding forward again. "I'd show you but I don't think now is the time, besides you'll learn it on your own soon enough."

There was no arguing at that point at they just kept going- tearing across miles of cement. Most of the robots they simply went around since Sonic had explained they weren't really the enemy here. The military had just been doing their job of trying to subdue a dangerous threat. The fact they had the wrong hedgehog had nothing to do with their values. Since his counterpart had seemed interest in this tale he decided to tell him more.

He explained that the real problem had been the 'ultimate life form' though the younger mobian didn't seem to be very impressed by this title. To be honest he hadn't been either. He told him how he had been an experiment and that he was just doing what he believed was the last wishes of someone very important to him. It was only much later that he realized him mistake and by then it was almost too late. "What a jerk, was he trying to get everyone killed?"

Sonic didn't get to finish his story because the loud blare of a horn rattled the air right then. He noticed his counterpart pausing and turning his gaze out to the street below them as they were making their way over some construction work- nothing but frames set up at this point and still… they were several floors from the ground. "Hey!" Sonic jerked his head to the side. "Let's get going."

"What is that…?" The kid drew out slowly, leaning forward on his toes with one hand shielding his eyes from the sunlight as he squinted at the shape that just came around the corner. It was coming up on them pretty fast and by the time his counterpart decided to move the front bumper of the massive truck slammed into the support beams- sending all the piece flying as if they were simple building blocks..

The young hedgehog let out a cry of surprise and flung himself away from the ground collapsing beneath him. He somehow ended up grabbing a hold of Sonic's arm as he was shooting away at a much faster rate. Sonic could pick up speed a lot quicker which saved them from an unpleasant fate.

Not that they were home free just yet though, as soon as Sonic had made his way across the rooftops and down to the street once more- it was only to turn the corner and hear tires squealing to do the same. His counterpart had released his hold and was running alongside him once more, eyes darting backwards in alarm as the semi truck's back opened up and three giant buzz saws appeared over the top. "Are those blades?" Sonic couldn't say he remembered that from last time- maybe time was distorted after all.

"Sure looks that way." Sonic sprung sideways as the spinning blade came down above him, sawing into cement as they continued forward. "Watch your tail." He didn't remember this truck being so fast either… well he remembered feeling like everything was happening too quickly but not in a literal sense.

"Grab on." He hopped back a step, stretching his hand out for the kid as he began to lag behind. Before either of them could reach though one of the buzz saws forced them apart. His counterpart was losing ground quickly and the truck was gaining it. Then a sudden burst of speed on the truck's part rammed the smaller hedgehog in the back, sending him tumbling upwards over the vehicle as number of gold rings were sent scattering towards the sky.

Sonic tripped as a momentary pinch of darkness stabbed across his mind the moment the kid went flying. It was an issue he quickly recovered from and filed away for later as he suddenly picked up the pace, leaving the truck in the dust as he sped up the side of a building. Or at least he had thought that was the case before he noticed it doing the same. No doubt this memory was warped now.

He lead it towards a narrow gap, an explosion pushing heat at his back as he threw himself from the building and went flipping down into a small parking lot. By now he could see the exit from the city but knew he couldn't leave just yet. He had to find the kid before something else did.

* * *

><p>Sonic<p>

The ground had come up too quickly for him to fully recover from that last strike but he still managed a sloppy roll before skidding a couple feet across the cement, bouncing up into the grass as he hit the road's curb. He really had no idea how long he lie there at that point since he was feeling hazy and found himself admiring the blue of the sky for no real reason. It was only when the red shoes closed in on him that his awareness really started to come back to him but with it came the pain.

He winced faintly but gradually rolled himself over to all fours. Standing was a little more difficult, his legs unsteady beneath him. He glanced up at his older version. "The truck gone?" He wasn't sure he liked the way he was looking at him and so checked himself over for damage. The energy of the rings had shielded him from what would have been fatal otherwise and it was only the landing that left him scraped and bruised.

He rubbed at his side gingerly, coming away with a small amount of blood that he eyed with annoyance. "Yeah. I ran it into a wall." That was an interesting thought and he wondered how much of the building was left standing after that. "You want to rest a few minutes? Looking pretty beat there." He counterpart commented with a slight smile.

Sonic rolled his eyes and took a few steps forward before his wobbly legs gave up on him. He huffed to himself and made to get back up before he had been scooped into the larger hedgehog's arms. "Let me go! I'm not broken just sore." He shoved at his counterpart but it didn't look like he was getting free.

"Were almost out of here anyhow. You can get some rest once we reach the others."

He wasn't too happy with things being decided for him but that's the way it was. Everyone was just sort of sitting around from the looks of it, listening to the music that was chiming out of a nearby radio. When the pair of them approached Amy jumped up and tried to take him from his counterpart but he pushed the sole of his shoe against her cheek when she got to close, forcing her back a step. It was then he was set down on his feet.

Before he could think of doing anything else his brother crashed into him causing him to cringe as he landed on his back. "Hey bud. You're crushing me," He rolled him off of him and decided to just lay where he had fallen. Settling for being stared at by toddler.

"I'm going to keep going. Can you guys look after the younger me for a bit?"

"Of course." Amy smiled broadly.

Something that stood in contrast to Knuckles scowl. "Do I look like a babysitter to you?"

That comment appeared to be ignored by everyone as the older fox stepped up to his brother. "Don't want to take a break too Sonic?" It was a good question and personally he would have to say yes for his older self but was pretty sure that wasn't the word that was going to come out of his mouth. Not that it mattered, he planned on following his counterpart in a moment.

He was just waiting for him to get a head start so he was less likely to send him back here.

"Maybe later."

Sonic rolled his eyes and when the older mobian ran off he rolled over and took up chase before anyone could stop him. Though to be honest they probably knew better than to try.


End file.
